Switch-machine



w. K. HOWE, w. 3. HENRY AND F'. N. HALL. SWITCH MACHINE.

APPLlCATiON FILED MAY 1. 1919- Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

4 QHEETS SHEET 1.

INVENTORS.

A TTORNEY W. K HOWE, W. S. HENRY AND F. N. HALL.

' SWITCH MACHINE;

jAPPLlCATlON FILED MAY1.19,19.

1,373,073. Patented, Mar. 29, 1921,.

ATTORNEY.

w. K. now, w. s. HENRY AND F. N. HALL.

SWITCH MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. 1919.

1,37 3,073. Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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A TTORNEY W- K. HQWE, W. S. HENRY AND F. N. HALL. swncu MACHINE. APPLICATION FIYLED MAY 1, i919- LSHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WINTHRO]? K. HOWE, WILLIAM s. HENRY, AND FREDERICK N. HALL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO GE ERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF GATES NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SWITCH-MACHIN E.

Original application filed November 29, 1915, Serial NO. 64,138, now Patent No. 1,307,200, dated June 17, 1919. Divided and this application filed May 1, 1919. Serial NO. 293,960.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WINTHROP K. HOWE,

IViLL-IAM S. HENRY, and F REDERICK N.

IIALL, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of Rochester, 1n the county of Monroe and State of New York,

. have invented a new and useful Switch Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrically operated switch machines for interlocking systems for railways.

This application is a division of our prior application, Serial No. 64,138, filed November 29, 1915, now Patent No. 1,307,200, dated June 17 1919, and relates more particularly to the construction of the braking mechanism of the switch machine.

It is important that switch machines in practice should cause quick movement of the switch points; and since this involves rapid movement of the armature of the op crating motor and its associated gearing, it is found that some provision should be made to absorb the momentum of these moving parts at the end of each operation, in order to avoid severe shocks and jars to the mechanism. In accordance with this invention, it is proposed to use a braking mechanism, operated directly by the moving parts of the switch machine, so that the armature of the operating motor and its associated gearing may be braked and brought to rest without shock and jar.

One of the objects of this invention is to devise a simple and efficient mechanism which will be operated mechanically by the motor itself and will serve to bring the motoryarmature and associated parts gradually to rest without shock and jar. A further object is to devisea braking mechanism of this character which will require the application of substantially fullload operating current to theswitchmachine before the parts will be operated.

()ther objects and advantages will appear as the description of the invention progresses, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be made to the accompanying drawin 'e in which we have illustrated selected portions of the switch machine shown in our prior application directly associated with the braking mechanism; in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views; and in which:

F lgure 1 is a plan view of the mechanism compartment of the switch machine with the cover therefor removed;

F1g. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of Fig. 1 substantially through the middle of the switch machine, certain parts being shown in elevation for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the brakeoperatmg mechanism, said view being a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 33 indicated in Figs. 2 and 4, certain parts being removed;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken transversely of the switch machine and braking mechanism, said section being taken substantially on the line 4-& indicated in Figs. 1 and 3; I

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail elevation of a brake hanger;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through the friction clutch; and

Figs. 7 to 10 are views, diagrammatic in their nature, which show the different positions of some of the principal operating parts of the switch machine during the operation of moving the switch from one extreme position to the other.

In view of the full disclosure in our prior application above mentioned, no attempt will be made to illustrate and describe the construction of the complete switch machine, but only such parts thereof as are necessary to obtain a clear understanding of this invention. In general the switch machine comprises a base plate B, and several separate casings or frames bolted to said base plate for supporting and inclosing the various operating parts. In the accompanying drawings, we have illustrated the gear casing or compartment G and the clutch casing U. The gear compartment G is provided with a T-shaped top member or brace D which is integral with the walls of said casing and is spaced above the base plate B so as to leave space for the Operating gears. As pointed out in our prior application, the switch points are connected to a throw bar 1, and also to a lock rod (not shown) which is locked or unlocked by a locking plunger 2. The throw bar 1 and the locking plunger 2'areboth operated from a main driving gear 3, which is 'journaled on a bearing stud 4 (see Fig. 2), having a rim or flange 5 at its lower end for holding said gear 3 in place. This bearing stud t is fastened by a bolt 6 to the top member D, a suitable Wiasher 7 being interposed. between said bearing stud and said top member. he main gear 3 carries a downwardly extending driving pin 9 (see Fig. 2) on which two freely revoluble' rollers 10 and 11 are j our- .naled. The upper roller 10 engages the sides ofa laterally opening jaw l in the throw bar 1 as the main gear 3 rotates and thus causes the desired reciprocation of said throw bar. The lower roller 11 engages in a cam slot 2 in the enlarged head of the look ing plunger 2, thereby causing reciprocation of said locking plunger when the main gear 3 is rotated, in the manner fully described in our prior application above mentioned. T he main gear 8 is'driven by a pinion 12 keyed tov avertical shaft 13, which is journaled in theloase plate 13 and top member D. To this vertical shaft 13 is also fixed a beveled gear 15 which meshes with a pinion 16 fixed to an operating shaft 17;

and this shaft 17 is driven from the motor shaft through a friction clutch K.

. The friction clutch K (see Fig. 6) comprises an end cap 26 integral with the motor shaft 25, and a casing-27 formed with a cylindrical portion constituting a brake drum 28. The operating shaftl? extends through the casing 27 and is journaled in the end cap 26. To this operating shaft 17 are fixed a number of friction disks 29, which are alternately arranged with other friction disks 30 secured to the casing 27, a spring 31 and an adjusting nut 32 serving to press said friction disks 29 and 30 together. This friction clutch K is shown merely as an example of a suitable construction which can be used with the switch machine, but itis to be understood that other forms of friction clutches 7 may be used, if desired.

The operating motor M, only a part of which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, forms no part of this invention, and may be any of the usual types of electric motors, operable on either alternating current or direct current. This motor M is preferably mounted in a separate casing 33 having an annular flange34 which is fastened by bolts 35 to a similar flange 36 on the casing C.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the braking mechanism is mounted in the casing C and comprises two brake hangers H and H, one on each side of the brake drum 28 of the friction clutch K, each of said brake hangers H and H consisting of two side portions 38 (see Fig. 5), a lower connecting portion 39, and a cylindrical upper connecting portion 40. The parts associated with each of the brake hangers H and H are constructed and arranged the same, and a description of one will suflice for both. The upper connecting portion t0 of each of the brake hangers H and H is journaled on a shaft 41 which is supported at one end by a boss 42 integral with the outer end wall of the casing C, and which is supported at its other end by a lug or projection 13, integral with the inner end wall of said casing (I.

said shaft ll being held in place by being pinned to said lug 43 (see Fig. 5). Each brake hanger H and H carries a brake shoe 44 having a suitable brake lining l5 held in place on its concave face by upper and lower clamping plates 46 secured in place by screws; and each brake shoe M is pivotally connected by a pin 47 to the outer bifurcated end of a supporting arm 48, which is fastened to a short shaft 50 l) a pin 51, said shaft 50 being journaled in the side portions 38 of the corresponding brake hanger, ll or H. The brake lining f?) of the brake shoes 4:4: are arranged to press against the surface of the brake drum 28 forming a part of the casing 27 of the friction clutch K. Integral with the upper connecting portion l-(l of ach brake hanger H or H is an arm 52 which extends outwardly in the direction away from the brake drum 28; and a tension spring 53 is hooked at one end in a hole St in the outer end of said arm 52 and at its other end around the pin 47 between the bifurcations of the outer end of the corresponding arm 48. The under face 55 of the upper connecting portion 40 of each brake hanger H and H is flattened to form a stop for limiting the upward movement of the corresponding brake shoe l4.

Along each side portion 38 of each brake hanger H and H near the lower end thereof is a ridge 56 forming a stop for a rectangu lar follower plate 57 which is interposed between said side portions 38 and is loosely mounted on the cylindrical end portions of a brake operating rod 58 extending transversely of the switch machine. The middle portion of the brake operating rod 58 is rectangular in cross section so as to leave shonl ders which limit the movement of the follower plates 57 toward the middle of said rod 58. Encircling each end portion of the brake operating rod 58 is a compression coil spring 59, one end of which bear. against the corresponding follower plate 57, and the other end of which bears against the washer 60 held in place by a cotter pin (31. Integral with the base plate B are two pairs of upwardly projecting lugs or stops (52 and (32', which are arranged in the path of movement of the lower connecting portions 39 of the brake hangers H and H and which serve to limit the movement of said brake hangers in both directions. A downwardly projecting pin 63 is fixed in the brake operatm rod 58 near the middle thereof; and journa ed ona short bearing stud 64, integral with the base plate B is a brake lever 18, one end of which is forked and straddles the pin 63, and the other end of which has a finger 66 extending out into the path of movement of the upper roller 10 on the driving pin 9, said brake lever 18 having an arcuate slot 67 thereon to clear the shaft 13.

Operation: In practice the switch machine is used in connection with an arrangement of controlling devices and circuits suitable for the operation thereof, such as for example, that shown and described in the atent to W. K. Howe, No. 1,288,897, dated ecember 24, 1918. In order to facilitate a clear understanding of the invention, we have shown in Figs. .7 to 10 in a simplified manner the different positions assumed by the principal parts of the switch machine at different times in the complete cycle of operation. In Fig. 7 the throw bar 1, the locking plunger 2, the driving pin 9, and the brake lever 18 are shown in positions corresponding to the normal position of the switch machine; in Figs. 8 and 9 these parts are shown in two intermediate positions; and in Fig. 10 in the reverse position.

When the operating motor is supplied with current, in a manner fully described in the patent above mentioned and well understood by those skilled in the art, it drives the motor shaft 25, and disregarding for the present the action of the braking mechanism, the friction clutch K drives the operating shaft 17, which in turn drives the main gear 3 by means of the beveled pinion 16, the beveled gear 15, and pinion 12, thereby causing the driving pin 9 and the rollers 10 and 11 carried thereby to move in a circular path (shown in dot and dash lines A in Figs. 7 to 10 in the direction indicated by arrow X. uring the first part of the movement of the driving pin 9, it moves freely without actuating any of the parts of the switch machine, since the rear edge of the cam slot 2 in the head of the locking bar 2 is formed on the arc of a circle concentric with the main gear 3. This allows a free run of the motor and permits its armature to accelerate and attain speed so that the motor is able to develop its full power at the initial movement of the switch.

After this free run of the motor armature, the lower roller 11 on the driving pin-9 strikes the edge of the cam slot 2, and during the next part of the movement of said driving pi119, the locking bar 2 ismoved to the unlocked position (see Fig. 8). The upper roller 10 on the driving pin 9 now strikes the edge of the jaw 1 of the throw bar 1; and during the next part of the revolution of the main gear 3 to the position shown in Fig. 9, the throw bar 1 is moved to shift the switch pointsfrom the normal to the reverse position. Duringthe next part of the rotation of the main gear 3, the lower roller 11 on the driving pin 9 cooperates with the cam slot 2 to return the locking plunger 2 to the locked position. lrVhen the switch points are fully thrown and locked, the circuit controlling mechanism of the switch machine (not shown) is shifted in the manner explained in our prior application, to out off current from the operating motor M g At the time that the operating current is cut off, the armature of the motor M, and the gears associated therewith, are in rapid motion, and in order to avoid shock and jar to the parts, the braking mechanism constituting the subject-matter of this inven tion, is em loyed. After the switch points have been t rown and locked, the momentum of the armature of the motor M and connected gears carries the driving pin 9 farther in the same direction until the upper roller 10 strikes the finger 66 of the brake lever 18, (which is thenin its middle position, as shown in Fig. 9 for the reason ointed out hereinafterz, and turns the rake lever 18 counterc ockwise, so as to shift the brake operating rod 58 from its position shown in Fig. 4 to the right. Durin this movement of the brake operating r0 58 to the right the lefthand follower plate 57 (see Fig. 4) strikes the ridges 56 on the side members 38 of the left-hand brake hanger H and swings said brake hanger to the right so as to bring the brake lining 15 on the lefthand brake shoe 4.4 into contact with the brake drum 28. The gearing connection between the main driving ear 3 and the casing 27 of the friction clutcli K is such that at this time the casing 27 of said friction clutch K and the brake drum 28 are rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow Y in Fig. 4. The friction between the brake drum 28 and the brake lining causes the whole brake shoe 44 to move upwardly, rocking the brake shoe supporting arm 48, until the upper end of said brake shoe strikes the flat under face of the upper connecting portion 40 of the lefthand brake hanger H. As theklriving pin 9 is driven farther by the momentum of the armature of the motor M and its connected parts, said driving pin 9 pushes before it the finger 66 of the brake lever 18 and in creases the compression of the lefthand spring 59 and the pressure of the lefthand brake shoe 44 against the brake drum 28. In this way, the armature of the motor M and its connected parts are. automatically braked, andthe parts can be adjusted so that the driving pin 9 is brought to a stop at substantially the same point each time the switch is operated.

The peculiar wedge-shape of the finger 66 of the brake lever 18 permits the arc of movement of the driving pin 9 after it first strikes said finger 66 to be greater than the corresponding arc of movement ofthe brake lever 18, so that the full brake shoe pressure may beexerted for some time while the driving pin'9 is moving. The stops 62, shownto best advantage in Figs. 3 and 4,

limit the outward movement of the brake hangers H and H from the brake drum 28, so that any binding between the sides of I the hangers and the corresponding follower the I switch from its reverse position, the

brake lever 18 having been forced by the driving pin 9 to the position shown in Fig. 3. The righthand brake shoe 4A is also in its upper position pressed against the upper connecting portion 40 of the corresponding brake hanger H by reason of the fact that in this precedingmovement of the switch the brake drum 28 was rotated in the direction opposite to the direction indicated by the 1 arrow Y in Fig. 4; and in this upper position of the brake shoe 44, the brake shoe supporting arm 48 inclines upwardly from its pivot axis. In short, when the switch is in its normal position the righthand brake shoe is pressed tightly against the brake drum 28. Thus,- when the armature of the motor M is driven, in the direction indicated by the arrow 'Y, so as to throw the switch to its reverse position, the friction between the brake -drum 28 and saidrighthand bra-keshoe L4:

forces said brake shoe downwardly. An examination of Fig. 4 will make itv clear that the righthand brake shoe 44; in moving downwardly must also move inwardly toward the brake drum 28 and increase the pressure of its brakelining 45 against said brake drum, since'the brake supporting arm 48 isswung from a position above the straight line connecting the axis of said brake drum 28 and the pivot axis of said arm l8-to a. position below that straight line. Consequently, the first movement of the brake drum 28 by the motor M meets with material opposition, andthis assures that the switch will not be operated by any currentless than the full-load operating current. After the motor has turned the brake drum 28 part of a revolution against the increased opposition of the braking mechanism, the driving pin 9 moves away from the finger 66 of the brake lever 18 and permits the right hand spring 59 to expand and relax the pressure of the right hand brake shoe 44L against said brake drum 28. When the driving pin 9 leaves engagement with the finger 66 of the brake lever 18, both of the brake hangers H and II assume a vertical position, in which neither of the brake shoes 14 exerts any pressure against the brake drum 28, and in which brake lever 18 assumes a middle position as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The right hand brake shoe 4 1, which is in its lower position by reason of the fact that it was previously forced down by the friction between its lining l5 and the brake drum 28, is now returned by the spring 53 to its upper position.

Substantially the same movements of the different parts of the switch machine occur when the switch is thrown from its reverse position to its normal position, and these movements can be easily followed by analogy to those involved in the movement of the switch from its normal position to its reverse position, the only difference being that the armature of the motor M is driven in the opposite direction and the driving pin 9 also moves in the opposite direction.

Although we have particularly described the construction of one physical embodiment of our invention, and explained the operation and principles thereof; nevertheless, we desire to have it understood that the form selected is merely illustrative, but does not exhaust the possible physical embodiments of the idea of means underlying our invention.

lVhat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a switch machine comprising an operating motor, an armature shaft, and mechanism including reduction gearing and driven by said armature shaft for moving the switch points, the combination with a brake drum carried by said armature shaft, of brake shoes arranged to cooperate with said brake drum, and means operated nicchanically by said mechanism at the end of each operation for actuating said brake shoes. 7

2. In a switch machine comprising an operating motor, and mechanism including a main gear driven by reduction gearing from said motor for operating the throw bar of the switch machine, the combination with a friction clutch included in said gearing and constituting a brake drum, of brake shoes arranged in cooperative relation with said drum, and means actuated by said main gear for selectively actuating said brake shoes.

3. In a switch machine comprising an operating motor, and a main gear driven from said motor by reduction gearing and carrying a driving pin for operating the throw bar of the switch machine, the combination with a brake drum connected to said reduction gearing, brake shoes cooperating with said drum, and a lever operatively connected to said brake shoes and having one end arranged in a path of movement of said driving pin, wherebv at the end of each operation of the switch machine, said driving pin on the main gear engages the lever and presses the corresponding brake shoe against the brake drum.

4. In a switch machine comprising an. electric motor having an armature and armature shaft, and a main gear driven from said armature shaft by reduction gearing and having a driving pin adapted to operate the throw bar of the switch machine, the combination with a brake drum carried by said armature shaft, of two brake shoes arranged on opposite sides of said drum and adapted to cooperate therewith, and a lever operatively connected at one end to? said brake shoes and having a cam-shaped finger at its other end arranged in the path of movement of said driving pin, said finger being shaped so that a small arc of movement of said lever corresponds with a greater are of movement of said driving pin, whereby substantially the same braking pressure is exerted during a relatively large arc of movement of said driving pin.

5. In a switch machine comprising an electric motor and operating mechanism connecting said motor and the throw bar of the switch machine, braking means for retarding the final movement of said operating mechanism after each operation comprising, in combination: a brake drum connected to said mechanism, brake shoes cooperating with said drum, means including a resilient connection and operated mechanically by said mechanism at the final move ment thereof for forcing the corresponding brake shoe against said brake drum and for maintaining it in such braking position while the switch machine is at rest, the brake shoe in action after each operation of the switch machine being adapted to offer greater resistance to the initial movement of the operating mechanism for the next reverse operation, whereby substantially fullload operating current is required to start the switch machine in either thrown position of the switch points.

6. A braking mechanism for electrically operated switch machine comprising, in combination: a brake drum, two brake shoes to cooperate with said brake drum on opposite sides thereof, means adapted to be actuated mechanically at the final movement of the switch machine for pressing one or the other of said brake shoes against the brake drum according to which movement of the switch points occurs, each of said brake shoes being supported by a swinging arm capable of swinging above and below the line between the pivot axis of said arm and the center of said brake drum, whereby upon each operation of the switching machine the brake shoe then in action exerts greater braking pressure during the initial reverse movement of the switch machine.

7. A switch machine for operating movable switch points comprising a motor having an armature, mechanism for connecting said armature to said switch points and including a brake drum, two brake shoes arranged to cooperate with said brake drum on opposite sides thereof, a hanger for each of said brake shoes, means for limiting the movement of each of said hangers in either direction, means controlled by said mechanism for pressing either of said brake shoes against said brake drum depending upon the direction of motion of said armature, each of said brake shoes being supported by a swinging arm pivotally connected to one of said hangers and capable of swinging above and below the line connecting the pivot axis of said arm and the center of said brake drum, whereby a reversal of the direction of rotation of said brake drum causes the brake shoes then pressed against the brake drum to press harder.

8. A switch machine comprising an operating motor, a throw bar having a laterally opening jaw, a main gear carrying a driving pin adapted to cooperate with said jaw and cause reciprocation of the throw bar as said main gear is rotated in opposite directions, reduction gearing connecting the motor and said main gear and including a brake drum, brake shoes cooperating with said drum, and means including a yieldable connection and adapted to be actuated by said driving pin for operating said brake shoes.

9. In a switch machine, an operating motor, a throw bar, mechanism including reduction gearing and a friction clutch connecting said motor and throw bar, a brake mechanism for said reduction gearing comprising a brake drum, brake shoes cooperating with said drum, and a cam member actuated by said first mentioned mechanism and act ing to maintain the brake shoes pressed against said drum during the final part of the movement of said mechanism.

WINTHROP K. HOWE. WILLIAM S. HENRY. FREDERICK N. HALL. 

